Qantas award seat search using Alaska miles are driving me nut, any advice?

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Jan 1, 2018, 5:58 pm

#16

livejon

Join Date: May 2015

Posts: 24

Thanks for that beckoa -- unfortunately, I've been trying with AS/QF for 4 days now. Perhaps there is an extra-additional lag due to the new year. Who knows. I've tried several different flights they advertise only to get all the way through seat selection, payment of the taxes, all passenger information, only to land on:

"The request was not successful. See the red message(s) below. Space on partner flights cannot be confirmed. Please change the dates, cities, or flights of your original request.-1620

To continue, shop again for other fare and flight options.If this problem continues, please call 1-800-ALASKAAIR (1-800-252-7522) for other fare and flight options.-10"

Calling Reservations doesn't help either. It is a very strange glitch! (and yes, very frustrating too)

Jan 3, 2018, 10:01 am

#17

ou81two

Suspended

Join Date: Mar 2014

Posts: 1,684

Quote:

Originally Posted by lililolo

I have been searching for 2 Qantas business award seats from MEL or SYD or CNS to SFO or LAX for the past 3 days. We do not even have to fly together if needed.

Alaska.com shows business cabin available in one of the acceptable date. But everytime the site would not confirm. Every time after hitting the purchase box, a message popped up saying the seat cannot be confirmed and try other date ...

I also searched for SFO/LAX to CNS on Qantas premium economy. It shows many availability but again, it would not confirm at the end.

I thought it might be a computer glitch, but it has been 3 days and I tried every day and every possible combination, but just would not confirm. I called Alaska and was told there are no business class available for the whole desired week.

Did that happen to anybody? So the information is not correct online? Is there anything/tricks that can improve my odds? Very frustrating!

Thanks for your help in advance,

Dig up the contact info for AS executives and send some hate mail. Their redemptions on their site is terrible. They have rewards on Quantas that show as available (but they're not) for months. They shouldn't have them on their site...period.

AS also does a garbage job of showing redemptions in general. Want a business class fare to Australia? It will show you every Business class SEA to connector and then coach to australia flight. You can't filter out mixed rewards because their web developers are too stupid to do it in the AI. They literally won't do it because whatever program returns the fares, doesn't filter out mixed awards, but they could do it in the web UI. They don't because they can't figure it out. It's pathetic.

tgrazini likes this.

Aug 11, 2018, 6:51 pm

#18

leroy11

Original Member

Join Date: May 1998

Location: New York City

Posts: 3,506

Another data point - I was fortunate enough to find business class award availability on SFO to SYD. It was bookable on the QF website and viewable on Expert Flyer. It showed on the BA website but not on AA. AA could see it when I called. I would rather use AS miles. It was not viewable on the AS website and no love when calling. I was surprised they could not look at availability in another way when calling?

Aug 11, 2018, 11:52 pm

#19

beckoa

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines

Join Date: Dec 2006

Location: FAI

Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E

Posts: 42,953

Quote:

Originally Posted by leroy11

Not really. AS' systems do tend to have a lag, so if this space had just been opened up, waiting 12-24 hours may have yielded positive results. Or someone else could have secured the space as well. Catch 22.

Aug 12, 2018, 3:26 am

#20

leroy11

Original Member

Join Date: May 1998

Location: New York City

Posts: 3,506

Thanks Beckoa. I think there may be a lag, but there have been two U class biz class seats there for the last five days and are still there on the flight in question so def something wrong with the AS system or AS not receiving the same inventory!

Last edited by leroy11; Aug 12, 2018 at 3:26 am Reason: Typo - there may be lag not there may have been a large

Aug 12, 2018, 12:11 pm

#21

jimmygottfredson

Join Date: Mar 2016

Location: Preferably waiting for takeoff

Programs: AA EXP, MVPG, DL Silver, United Silver, Accor Platinum, Marriott Ambassador

Posts: 458

Quote:

Originally Posted by beckoa

Quote:

Originally Posted by leroy11

I've been looking for P and U Qantas inventory on USA-Australia routes for 2019 for several months and have noticed a few things. 1) Alaska does not have visibility to the same inventory that AA and BA have, especially U and P transpacific. Multiple phone calls in to Alaska will not yield better results. My theory is Qantas does not release the same inventory to AS as they do to AA. Different set of rules. 2) Having stated item 1, U and P do randomly show up on AS. But I haven't seen them in quantities more that 2, and more often than not it is a single seat release. So if you're going to use AS for Qantas P or U, you have to have low expectations, lots of patience and lots of flexibility in your schedule.

If I can find the inventory on Expert Flyer, and not AS and really want it, I pony up and book trough AA.

Aug 17, 2018, 5:33 pm

#22

Mauibaby2008

Join Date: Jul 2012

Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black

Posts: 3,393

I am shook!

I managed to claim two F award seats DFW SYD next weekend Aug 26 & Aug 27. Always wanted to find this award and by some miracle it was available exactly when I needed it !

my first Alaska miles Qantas award, stoked to try it out.

Aug 17, 2018, 6:18 pm

#23

Mwenenzi

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Apr 2001

Location: MEL CHC

Posts: 21,009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mauibaby2008

..I managed to claim two F award seats DFW SYD next weekend Aug 26 & Aug 27. Always wanted to find this award and by some miracle it was available exactly when I needed it!

When did you book the awards?